Title:	Illness Perceptions of Patients with Occupational Skin Diseases in a Healthcare Centre for Tertiary Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors:	Rocholl, Marc Wilke, Annika Meyer, Julia John, Swen Malte Ludewig, Michaela
ORCID of the author:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6584-0161 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1214-1399 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5406-9458
Abstract:	Objectives: To investigate the illness perceptions of patients with occupational skin diseases (OSDs). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Specialised healthcare centre for inpatient and outpatient individual prevention in occupational dermatology in Germany. Participants: A total of 248 patients with hand eczema (55.2% female; average age: 48.5 years, SD: 11.9) were included in the final analyses. Measures: A modified and recently validated version of the ‘Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire’ (IPQ-R) was used to assess illness perceptions. Severity of skin disease was evaluated with the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), the Osnabrueck Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI), and a single, self-reported global item. The Erlangen Atopy Score (EAS) was used for atopy screening. Results: We found strong illness identity, high emotional impact, and long timeline beliefs, meaning that study participants perceive their OSD on the hands as a highly symptomatic, emotionally burdening, and chronic condition. Results suggest that hand eczema has a major impact on how participants manage their own lives, particularly during everyday life and occupational activities. Study participants predominantly identified irritant or sensitising substances and activities at work as well as skin protection regimes as causes of their disease. Conclusions: Healthcare workers should consider the illness perceptions as well as the disease burden of patients with an OSD on the hands in clinical practice. Multi-professional approaches to patient care should be sought. Illness perception in (occupational) dermatological patients should be the subject of further research.
Citations:	Rocholl M, Wilke A, Meyer J, John SM, Ludewig M. Illness Perceptions of Patients with Occupational Skin Diseases in a Healthcare Centre for Tertiary Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(9):5652.
URL:	https://doi.org/10.48693/491 https://osnadocs.ub.uni-osnabrueck.de/handle/ds-2024021510663
Subject Keywords:	contact dermatitis; eczema; illness perceptions; self-regulation model; cross-sectional studies; Germany
Issue Date:	26-Apr-2023
License name:	Attribution 4.0 International
License url:	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Type of publication:	Einzelbeitrag in einer wissenschaftlichen Zeitschrift [Article]
Appears in Collections:	FB08 - Hochschulschriften Open-Access-Publikationsfonds

This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License